Service measured not by GOLD,
                           but by the GOLDEN RULE

Service measured not by GOLD,
          but by the GOLDEN RULE

330.262.7771

Katherine (Kay) Santschi, 100, of Wooster, Ohio went to be with her Lord and Savior on February 21, 2022.   She was born in 1921 in Akron, Ohio to the late Henry and Katherine Nagel.   Kay graduated from Garfield high School in 1940.   She married the Rev. Frederick Santschi in 1942 and together they served United Church of Christ churches in Defiance, Upper Sandusky, and Wooster, Ohio as well as in Danville, Illinois.   Kay was a devout Christian and a long-time member of Emanuel Old Stone Church in Wooster.   Music was a big part of her life.   She sang in church choirs for many years and played the piano for church services at Wayne Manor Assisted Living.  She also taught Sunday School and directed Vacation Bible Schools.  Kay was a life member of the Wooster Community Hospital Auxiliary and tutored children in the Ohio Read Program.
In addition to her husband of 51 years, Kay was preceded in death by an infant brother Henry Nagel and sister Anne (William) Hill.   She is survived by her sons Timothy (Janis) Santschi of Mason, Ohio and Allan (Justine) Santschi of Delaware, Ohio and her daughter Jeanette (Carl) Kalberkamp of Ridgeland, Mississippi.   Kay also leaves behind eight grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, five nieces, and one nephew.   Kay ™s best friend, Dorothy Swinehart, was like a sister to her.   Shirley and David Gibson were also very special friends to Kay, visiting her often.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Wayne Manor Assisted Living for the care they provided to Kay for the past seven years and Ferrell Swinehart, a Wooster Library volunteer, who provided Kay with many books to read each month for six years.
A memorial service for Kay will be held on Monday February 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 East Larwill Street, Wooster, Ohio.   Officiating will be Kay ™s son-in-law the Rev. Carl Kalberkamp Jr. and her grandson the Rev. Jonathan Edwards.
The family will receive friends of Kay prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
The service will be live-streamed on the McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home Facebook page
A graveside service will take place at 2:30 p.m. that day at the Mount Peace Cemetery, 183 Aqueduct Street, Akron, Ohio 44303.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Emanuel Old Stone Church, 6000 Congress Road, Wooster, Oh 44691, to Ohio ™s LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Road, Wooster, Ohio 44691, or to the charity of one ™s choice.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com

Memorial Contributions
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Emanuel Old Stone Church, 6000 Congress Road, Wooster, Oh 44691, to Ohio ™s LifeCare Hospice, 1900 Akron Road, Wooster, Ohio 44691, or to the charity of one ™s choice.

Service
Monday February 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home

Visitation
The family will receive friends of Kay prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Monday

15 Comments

  1. Sorry to hear about lovely lady Kay. I used to play cards with her alongside Arlene Hartzler and Dorothy Swinehart. Loved her laugh.

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  2. So sorry to hear this sad news . I worked with Rev. Santschi and Kay at Trinity United Church of Christ, Westville, Illinois. I am the Administrative Assistant at Trinity Church and had the pleasure of working with these two great people and becoming great friends. My prayer and thoughts are with the family.

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  3. Our sincere condolences to Kay’s family on her passing. Many of us at St. John E&R (UCC) in Defiance remember her with love and respect. She and Rev.Fred were wonderful people.
    Bob Fetter

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  4. My deepest sympathy to Tim & Janis & all of Katherine’s family. You are in my thoughts & prayers.

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  5. My deepest sympathy to Tim & Janis & all of Katherine’s family. You are in my thoughts & prayers.

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  6. Sympathy and prayers to the family of Kay. She and Rev. Fred served at St. John United Church of Christ Defiance, Ohio when I was very young. I was confirmed by Rev Fred around 1958. I have always had very wonderful memories of them both.

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  7. Prayers to the family of Kay.I helped Kay with Sunday School when they lived in Upper Sandusky.Thought about them often.

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  8. I am so sorry about Kay. I have such fond memories of her and remember her encouragement when I began to play the organ for the E & R church in Defiance. She was kind and supportive. You are in my prayers.

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  9. I remember the entire Santschi family from the church in Defiance when I was growing up. There are such good memories of that time. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  10. My sympathies to all of your family. I only know your parents by name through the many memories of my father, grandparents and Great Grandmother in Defiance. Rev. & Mrs. Santschi was spoke of with the highest regard. I have even read wonderful, uplifting letters of support from him to my great grandmother. She had them in her Bible. Rev. Santschi was there for her during the loss of her son and then her husband (my Great Grandfather.) My grandparents and father spoke so highly of him as their pastor. That was 3 generations he influenced. Now, in reading that your parents married in 1942, I am realizing what a young pastor he was during all that time! My family thought so much of them. Thank you! May Christ make His presence known to you, may you feel His arms holding up and may He overwhelm you with His peace. God Bless!

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  11. I remember Kay and Fred when they led our C.E. (Christian Endeavor) youth group at the First Evangelical & Reformed Church in Akron before they were married (they were engaged). I was a teenager in that group and we all thought they were such a cute couple. I visited Kay a couple of years ago when I was visiting my aunt in the Smithville facility. She was an amazing lady and such a beautiful singing voice. My sympathy to the family.

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  12. To Allan and the Santschi family, we send our deepest sympathy for the death of your mother. May happy memories comfort you in this time of sorrow. God bless!

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  13. Kay was a special friend at Wayne Manor. We played cards, exercised , conversed, and laughed together.
    She will be missed but always remembered for her smile, wit, and caring ways.Love. Nina

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  14. Our sympathy to Tim, Janis and the Santschi families in the USA. In loving rememberance of Kay’s and cousin Frederick’s visits to Switzerland and especially Sigriswil.
    Luise Weber-Santschi, Greti Baer-Santschi & Hedy Santschi-Berger

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  15. I am sorry I could not attend Kay’s services as I just returned home from a hip replacement.
    We were members of the Emanuel Old Stone Church and Pastor Frederick gave our son, Kenneth, his catechism instruction classes. He said he was he favorite pastor. Kay was a wonderful, lovin

    Reply

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